Friday, November 13, 2015

Today I am looking back on the golden days of autumn with an eye to fabulous foliage and perennials that continued to bloom well into the season.

Fantastic Autumn Foliage:

Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy' is a plant that I always looks spring-fresh in late summer and fall. Full sun to light shade. Height: 60 cm and Spread: 60cm (very similar in size and shape to a small Spirea).

I have a number of Ninebark all of which look terrific in autumn.

Delicate looking Switch Grass,Panicum Virgatum 'Northwind' is one of my favourite grasses. It forms a neat, upright clump of blue-green foliage and tolerates a range of soils and moisture levels. This grass's best feature is the cloud of beige panicles that in appear in late summer. Full sun. Height: 120-150 cm (47-59 inches), Spread:60-90 cm (23-35 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Evening Primrose, Oenothera tetragona is a bit of a nuisance because it spreads a bit to aggressively, but it redeems itself a little each fall when it turns a brilliant red.Height: 30-50 cm, Spread: 30-40 cm. Sun or part shade. USDA Zones: 3-9.

Euphorbia 'First Blush' likes dry, sunny conditions. It has light green foliage with cream margins and a blush of rose. In spring, it has yellow flowers, but the true beauty of this plant is in the foliage. Warning: this plant has a milky sap that is irritating to skin. It's a good idea to wear gloves when you are doing any pruning. Height: 25-30 cm ( 10-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9.

Euphorbia polychroma 'Bonfire' has foliage that emerges as green and then quickly becomes a mix of maroon and green. It also has bright yellow bracts in June. In fall, the color seems to intensify and the plant becomes magical when covered with frost crystals. Full sun and normal or sandy, dry soil. Warning: this plant also has a milky sap that is irritating to skin. Again, it's a good idea to wear gloves when you are doing any pruning. Height: 25-30 cm ( 10-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9.

Frost always does them in, but up until that point, Coleus looks terrific in conjunction

with other autumn foliage.

One of my birdbath planters. The ceramic mushrooms are from the Dollar Store.

Fabulous Autumn Flowers:

My picture does not do this plant justice. It is a great perennial to have for fall color.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune: I have featured this perennial any number of times, so I'll keep it short and sweet here. I love the frosty blue flowers and the pinkish cast the leaves take on as the temperatures drop. 'Blue Fortune' always looks great well into October.

Dwarf Calamint, Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta

It's a bit of a shaggy dog, but the warm blue flowers are a nice color infusion to my fall garden.

Anise Hyssop, Agastache 'Little Adder' is a new introduction that is much shorter than Agastache 'Black Adder'. Itblooms from late spring into fall. 'Little Adder' is only hardy to zone 5, so fingers crossed it makes it through an Ontario winter. Full sun and average growing conditions. Height: 40-45 cm (15-18 inches), Spread: 50-60 cm ( 20-24 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9.

Wild Bergamont or Monarda fistulosa

Wild Bergamont, Monarda fistulosa is a skyscraper that can reach up to 5 feet. It started blooming in August and continued to flower into late September. Unlike modern hybrids, it can be prone to outbreaks of powdery mildew. Even so, it is well worth having in your garden. Bees and butterflies love it. Full sun to light shade. Average soil. USDA Zones: 3-9.

Two very similar Phlox. Both bloom a bit later than most of the other common varieties of Phlox.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Pause for a second and think: when are you at your most creative in the garden?

R. William Thomas, director and head gardener at Chanticleer, begins each day with a walk around the gardens accompanied by his corgi Jesse. It is on these morning strolls that he takes a critical look at what is working in the garden and what needs to be changed or moved. Could a particular flowerbed be better? Perhaps it is time to try something new? While he considers questions like this; he pauses to pull the odd weed, prune the occasional branch.

In his travels, Bill Thomas meets with the garden's staff and listens to their latest ideas. Most of these creative discussions are accompanied by plenty of excited hand waving. Design is often a solitary creative act, but at Chanticleer it is a collaborative exercise.

When I read the passage in the book The Art of Gardening in which Bill Thomas describes his daily wander through the garden, I could absolutely relate to his experience. Before I begin any work, I take a turn around the garden with my two dogs in tow. I admire what's blooming and make mental notes on what chores need to be done. Almost always I get distracted by some problem or surprise.

For me, this is when I am the most creative in the garden. I dream. I ponder. I plan.

Though I sometimes tire of the hard physical work that gardening entails, but I never ever tire of the the creative process I think of as the "art of gardening".

Located just outside of Philadelphia, Chanticleer is was originally built as a summer home for the wealthy Rosengarten family. As a bit of humour, the estate was named after the grand, yet heavily mortgaged Chanticlere in Thackeray's 1855 novel The Newcomes. Today the entire property is managed by the Chanticleer Foundation and the garden is open for the education and enjoyment of the public.

In the years since becoming a "pleasure garden" much has changed at Chanticleer. It has evolved from a country estate to a dynamic, contemporary garden that has garnished an international reputation for its innovative plantings.

Chanticleer's design, and even the furniture, gates and bridges arise from the combined efforts of the gardening staff. Because the gardeners are encouraged to be inventive, the garden changes dynamically from year to year and even season to season.

Published by Timber Press, Portland OR. Used by permission of the publisher.

It seems only fitting that an innovative garden would spawn a novel gardening book.

Most books are written by one or maybe two people. The Art of Gardening however, is written by the large team of horticulturalists responsible for making Chanticleer the groundbreaking garden that it has become.

The result is a refreshing mix of voices and blend of viewpoints on a wide range of gardening related topics. By way of example, here are three distinct and interesting perspectives on color from the book:

Doug Croft: "I think of using color in the garden like I approach investing- diversification is the key."*

Published by Timber Press, Portland OR. Used by permission of the publisher.

What does a book on a large public garden have for you the home gardener?

Well, the book offers the reader a nice blend of inspiration and practical craft that can easily be transferred to the smaller space. While it is a sizeable public garden, Chanticleer is made up of a series of smaller garden "rooms" that have a scale similar to most residential gardens.

Published by Timber Press, Portland OR. Used by permission of the publisher.

In gardening as in design, there is no right and wrong. Rules are only made to be broken. Though it isn't always regarded as such, I do believe gardening is an art form. It takes artistry to combine colors, textures, scents and sounds in a way that is pleasing to the senses.

While it involves a lot of hard, but satisfying physical work, I think it is the creative challenges that make gardening so appealing.

The Art of Gardening is a book you might want to consider adding to your Christmas wish list. Filled with gorgeous photography, it will see you through the bleak winter months with lots of inspiration for your garden next spring.

The Art of Gardeningat a Glance:

Book Authors: R William Thomas and the Chanticleer Gardeners

Photographer: Rob Cardillo

Publisher: Timber Press

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 338 pp.

Images: 276 color photos

Thomas Allen & Sons has given me a review copy of the new book: The Art of Chanticleer. I am going to give it away to one lucky reader.

Leave a comment if you would like to be included in the book draw. The draw will remain open for the next 7 days. If you are not a blogger, you can enter to win on the Three Dogs in a Garden Facebook page. Please make sure there is a way for me to track down your email address should your name be drawn.